Spirits of the Earth

OOC: Tags to @Draconian

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For long days and long nights the Grand Duke was unseen. It was his wife. He had been called away- away to wherever she was. He had left her alone too long, and it wasn't like he hadn't known it was coming. From the drinks, to the depression writing heavy in the letters. Yet he ignored it, even well after she was gone.

He supposed he shouldn't have been surprised to get the news. Duty brought him to her side, and away he spent the rest of her days at her side. Though he knew his apologies were empty, they spoke of the good times- of when they met, when they were young, and how each of the other simplified and brightened the other's world.

She too... apologized, for he knew far too well of her own quieted acts. But he told her not to apologize. And oddly enough, he knew which day she was to pass. She had been sitting there, grey as the skies, and eyes sunken like shadows. Too much to drink, and too little to care. Her daughter had only come briefly, but then they were alone.

How long? He wondered. How long before she'd pass. How long before it was official- that Kathryn was no longer there? Not away... but... gone?

He noticed she held something when he moved to sit beside her on the bed. She turned to him, smiling weakly.

"Can you give this to him?"
He stared at her. She looked like death.

"What is it?"

She smiled wearily.

"A letter for him. I.. need to apologize to him, too." She swallowed thickly, and turned away. The pain was immense, and he could only silent appraise her for keeping herself so dignified, even in the end.

"What if I never see him."

"He'll be around," she assured him, her smile side, her eyes dimming.

He looked down at the paper, then back to Kathryn as he took her hand. She was cold, and clammy. He moved to secure a blanket around her. "It's chilly."

She closed her eyes.

The chill never went away.




*******



For the entire week, the country was in mourning. Black flags scripted from the capital, and those from her home of Highheart, were flown throughout the kingdom. Each sunday, the bells would ring for her, and each sunday, her coffin was set through the town, the Grand Duke riding at the front to lead the way.

It was a dark day for them all, to be surrounded by so many people, common, rich, and the small; all wearing greys and blacks. The skies, he noticed, were chilly, and the winds, stronger than he'dve liked. Kathryn would have preferred a sunny day, and to be outside.

But here it was, the day she was set to be buried, the coffin blanketed over witht he flag of her people. She had felt she had done them wrong, but he felt he had done a greater wrongness. She was the sweetness to him that kept a certain peace. She was a friend at times he wasn't looking for one. And she was also never there when he never needed her to be, and never tried when he did.

Kathryn Allarrick.. the mother to his two sweet daughters, whom he cast just a single glance to, pouty faced and uncertain what was going on, or fully understanding why 'mummy' wouldn't hug them back when they said goodbye.

'She was gone' he'd tell them. 'She is gone and will be... Forever.'


And into the crypt he went, and the next Sunday, the bells told the last time for her and ever since...
The entire great hall, the entire palace itself ceased. No sounds, no music, not even from an entertainer. He refused to let anyone in his music room, and told them to lock the door.


He never even visited Hope, or his mother. But he also never sent them away.

And it had been almost 5 long months since she'd been there- the last 4 of them with him in abandon; staying wtih his sick wife and ignoring her and any other presence that she remained.

The strange silence was... Unnerving. At first she understood why, had acknowledged it and respected it but... Then it was too much and Medina couldn't stand it silence anymore.

So, Medina had usually taken to the gardens. It was late summer by now and Hope, a few months old now, was laying in the grass and grabbing fistfuls of it. Watching him grow was what kept her sane. Medina knew she wasn't trapped here but... They'd never let her leave with Hope and after a fleeting letter from her brother from a strange place Medina knew that she didn't have anywhere to go.

Hope was her life now.

Medina picked him up with a sigh, lifting him high in her arms while he gave a shrill laugh. Grass rained down upon her when his chubby little hands let go and Medina laughed, shaking her head. The motion had him laughing more so she did it again. Medina grinned down at her son when she finally held him tight in her arms and she traced his cheek, making a silly face just so hear his laughter.

It wasn't the main garden. Off to the side. Not as luxurious but there was a clear patch of grass where Hope could wriggle around in while Medina read books and basked in the sun. It helped with the boredom. It helped with the dreading feeling in her stomach that she was completely alone except for maids ( but she liked the maids that tended to Hope.) Laying and reading in the sun also helped with the nausea.  Well, it didn't but she liked to pretend it did.

Medina cuddled Hope to her chest, pressing her cheek to his head. She brushed her fingers through his hair and he grabbed her hand to pop her knuckle into his mouth. It was awkward to hold him with her slowly swelling belly, it wasn't pronounced now, but... Medina dusted off her skirts and danced around with Hope, singing his lullaby and just so she could hear his laughter.

She'd see Zannrick more often than the Grand Duke himself, the man, appearing lot more princely and tidied up since the funeral. They normally lasted too long for his tastes, but nobles were nobles, and as such, he was a hound to one.

He was doing his rounds when he caught sight of the damn whore and her child and chewed on his breath as he watched them. But when it seemed the child noticed him and made a cooing laugh his way, he disappeared over the veranda, and they were left alone once more.

Medina would argue against being called a whore if he'd ever actually said it. No, she was worse, because at least whores got paid. Medina was a creature impulse and feelings and the mess she'd gotten herself into was giggling in her arms and growing in her womb.

The look on Hope's face told her it could be one person and Medina whipped around in time to see a disappearing mop of white hair. "Do you want to see Zannrick?" She said, giving Hope a little poke. Dizzy from the dancing she shuffled her way to the nearest set of stairs before rushing along. The usual maids were used to Medina's antics - at least Hope's nurses were and Medina did her best to sneak after Zannrick while Hope coo'd and drooled on her hair

"Zaaaannriiiiick," Medina called, "at least say Hi to Hope before you disappear again. The boy pouts for days after he sees you, I think your hair is the tastiest." While she spoke, she collected her own hair from the babe's mouth.

He was not about to stop and kept even with his foot falls. He was on duty- and not duty unto HER.

And there he went.

"No luck, Little Love," she pressed a kiss to Hope's forehead nuzzling into his hair before she sighed and looked around. A gilded cage but still a cage.  A hand moved to smooth over her swelling belly and she shrugged... And followed after Zannrick, intent, in someway, of winning the non-existant battle.

Zannrick kept walking his rigid little walk, either oblivious to her following, or hoping she'd just give up and abandon him. He was doing his rounds, as usual, and the palace was a damn big place.

Walking in the palace wasn't too different from walking in the garden.

Hope gave another sharp scream, grinning widely and looking at the head of pale hair that was slowly wandering away. Medina shuffled after him, giving Hope little tickles while she walked. It was a mystery why Hope liked Zannrick so much. Just the sight of him sent the boy into excitement and his little arms reached out and Medina shuffled faster, grinning down at her boy.

Proof that she'd do just about anything for her child.

She was chasing the poor Mordecai around the palace.

And it figured Zannrick had reason to pause, for he turned the bend and found himself confronted with one of Calent's personal servants. Medina may have caught the tail end of the conversation, as Zannrick curtly nodded.
"Yes, I'll go check on his grace at once. Thank you for informing me." And his pace hastened as he moved down the hall towards Calent's room.

His Grace.

Medina's heart stopped.

Hope, of course, gave another laugh and she pressed a kiss to the child's forehead.

Medina's free hand went to her abdomen. While she wasn't exactly keeping it a secret she hadn't told anyone. Maybe the maids had noticed her being sick in the mornings, the way she had been caressing the slowly growing lump at her abdomen. Should she tell him? Would they have?

A look at Hope, his green eyes wide and his drooly mouth in a bright smile.

Medina fixed her dress to keep what pregnancy she displayed concealed and she squared her shoulders.  A practical woman, she could understand why he wouldn't want to see her. His wife was... Gone. Clearly that distressed him and she was little more than a previous distraction. Still, Hope deserved at least some... Semblance of a father.

So, Medina followed Zannrick down the hall, trailing after him quietly now, though the goos and gurgles from Hope made it a little obvious. A frown and she took a deep breath, hating the anxiety that filled her chest and made her heart thump and her breath short.

Although his matter was urgent enough, it wasn't like the Grand Duke was dying. And he was pissed off to no end of this foul woman following him at any chance she got. So when he rounded the bend at a more private and secluded section of the palace, he paused at the bend, waiting for Medina to turn and-
that's when he faced her- stopped her from moving as he roughly grabbed her hand and pulled her to a halt.

"What do you think you're doing?" he asked, nostrils flaring with rage.

At the jerk, it made Medina falter but Hope gave another cry of joy at the movement.

His little hands grabbing desperately for Zannrick, giving little noises of frustration that he wasn't close enough... So Medina shifted Hope on her hip so his little fists could grab at Zannrick's arm, fingers fisting into the fabric of his clothing.

"What. Is it... Frustrating you?" She asked, head tilted, shifting Hope so his little hands could try for the mordecai's face. "I haven't seen him in months, I..." Medina frowned, looking away, flushed, "There are things to say and if I have to follow you like a duckling to say them, that's what I'm going to do."

He ripped his arm away from her.
"You're not invited here."

Medina wilted and looked away, flushing.

A quick little breath and Hope grabbed for Zannrick away before she started to turn away, "Then tell him I'm pregnant, i figured he has a right to know. Considering its his. Goodbye." Medina walked off then, glaring down at the ground, feeling a little shame for the first time in a while.

But Zannrick didn't let her walk two steps before he grabbed her roughly  by the wrist. Then he dragged her back, forcing her in front of him.
"What did you say?"

Medina sighed and tried to tug her arm away.

"I said goodbye, Zannrick," a frown and she started to turn away, "Hope needs to nap before he gets cranky."

His gripped intensed, so much pressure it felt as if he were nearing to crack her wrist in half.
"That's not what I asked," he said coldly, poisonously.

Medina looked to Hope who had calmed and was curled against her shoulder. "I'm pregnant, Zannrick," Medina looked away, "I..  No one knows. But me," she frowned, "and you now. Do what you will with the information."

His grip intensed. She'd bruise no doubt, and before she could refute it, he was shoving her along, forcing her with a barked, "Move it. No talking. Just walk."

Medina rolled her eyes.

"Are you going to push me out a window?" She asked softly, shifting so Hope could be more comfortable in her arm, now snoozing against her shoulder. Like a good girl though, Medina let herself be guided along, frowning at her feet whike they walked.

She eventually found herself in some vacated room in the dark of the castle. But his eyes were easily seen as striking, cold blue orbs.
"You're absolutely certain of your condition? You know you make any false claims and a woman like you could easily find herself on the chopping block," he warned.

Medina hated that Zannrick had pretty eyws.

"Why would I lie about that," she grumbled, looking to Hope, "Its like adding another chain to a cage I can't leave." The baby snuggled in against her and Medina curled her other arm around him, shifting side to side. "I haven't bled in months," she said plainly, "and I'm..." she looked down at herself, "it's not cake that's rounding me out."

His eyes narrowed poisonously.
"You need to lie. Tell him you've been with another. That this bastard isn't his."

Medina just put her hand on her hip.

"He's not that stupid and I hope he doesn't think I was stupid enough to sleep with someone in the palace." A moments pause and she gave Zannrick a look, "unless you want it to be yours. Dont think it'd look a thing like you though."

And that's when he backhanded her, metal gauntlets ringing as he cracked her across the jaw.
"Who do you think you're talking to!? To scoff at me and throw your disgrace of this nation at my face?"

Medina's head whipped around but... She kept quiet.

Right. Right. Different playing field.

Medina licked the blood from the inside of her mouth, ignored the sting on her cheek, no doubt the metal had cut her skin and she frowned at Zannrick. "Then arrange for me and my son to leave. I'll take this second bastard with me, too, but if you can't do that then I'm not lying," Her voice was steely and, aside from a quiet whimper from Hope, he remained asleep and content.

"Tell him you slept with another... Many others."

Medina glared before she lifted her head.

"I will not, because I did not," Another tilt of her head and a glare, mouth drawn into a tight line.

He grabbed her by the collar of her dress and forced her near to him so he could look her clear in the eyes.
"Do I have to make it so?" his voice was cold, his words; promising.

Medina gave him an odd look, golden eyes wide, frowning.

"I don't understand what you're implying," A curious tilt of her head. There was fear in her belly, sure but... Medina was nothing if not foolhardy, "Are you saying you'll make me have sex with a lot of different men?"

He gave an angered slam against the wall beside her, his eyes glowing with rage.
"Do you even know what this will mean to him? To the Grand Duke? Do you even know what he's going through right now?" Of course she didn't! He hadn't even chose to see her face. The damn whore now thought she could gain extra points by bringing up Calent would be expecting another bastard?
"Even with his wife's death aside, the duchies are slowly opposing his favor." The last part he told her with a curled lip snarl.

Medina wilted.

Very slightly.

It was still hard for her to wrap her head around the fact that the stranger she met in the rain once was the Grand Duke. That the child that could clearly sleep through anything was his bastard. Medina looked away for a moment before meeting Zannrick's eyes. Fire to ice.

"I'm failing to see what any of this has to do with a woman telling a man she's expecting his child," she said simply. It was easy for her. "I'm only here because everytime I've asked to leave with my child I've been refused," she ground out. Her cheek still stung and she wiped the back of her hand across it, frowning at the small smear of blood.

"Besides, I asked you to tell him!" she hissed, angry. Feeling stupid. Medina paused, took a breath, "I understand. I'm not important. Don't tell him," she started to back away, looking, perhaps a little crestfallen with her recent life choices before she started to walk away, "I don't care."

Zannrick tensed.
"It might be wise for you to... dispose of what you can of it," he went on, voice a loss hiss, as he avoided her gaze. Women did it all the time, found... 'means' to be rid of an unborn child...

Medina froze, going stalk still.

"That's not happening. Guess you'll have to just keep it a secret.," a glare and she nuzzled into Hope's hair and did her best to move away.

"I think I should be the one to decide how I want to handle this."

Zannrick's heart dropped at the voice. It was Calent. And the Grand Duke heard the entire thing!

Medina froze, cast a look over her shoulder and Zannrick. There was a moments hesitation before she turned her head away, "I'm not going to end a life before its had a chance. Sex makes babies, someone who didnt want anymore should have thought of that."

Zannrick turned from Medina to address Grand Duke Allarrick with as fluid as a bow as he could.
And that's when Calent struck him hard, across the face. It sent Zannrick to his knee.

"There was never a command nor need for your interrogation of the lady," Calent said coldly. He turned from Zannrick to look over at her. "Especially if she's in such delicate a position."

A wince.

Medina put her hand to her own cheek, feeling the skin Zannricks armor had scraped raw. Fear gripped her chest and Madina held Hope closer, the baby giving a little yawn. She didnt think she'd be this nervous seeing him again.

"I..  I'm not a delicate anything," was all she managed to get out, feeling cold.

He frowned.
"You're with child."

Medina looked away after a moment, though she kept her shoulders back. Kept her chin up.

"I am," she confirmed, a moment to open her mouth before she changed her mind, the words not leaving her lips. "I'm... I'm not disposing of it, if you were going to suggest that."

He frowned.
"Why would I suggest it?"

Medina frowned in turn a flicker of confusion in her gold eyes.

"Your hound seemed keen on you not knowing," her voice was soft and she turned slightly, putting her shoulder between Calent and Hope. "I figured you might... suggest the same as he did."

The room was quiet.
"Zannrick, you're dismissed. I will call for you when I need your services."

There was another awkward moment but Zannrick bowed.
"Yes, your grace." And left the room, the door clicking lightly behind him.

Medina frowned slightly and shifted the child in her arms. A little noise and Hope's green eyes popped open, zeroing in on Calent. The bright smile though, gave way to a sleepy yawn and he snuggled back into the warmth of his mother.

"Are you going to kill me?" She asked softly, looking around. There would be no witnesses here.

"Why would I kill you?"

Medina cleared her throat and looked away for a moment.

"No witnesses?" Her voice was soft and she swallowed heavily. "Can I ask how you've been sleeping?"

"If I wanted you dead, you'd be ten feet under by now."
His frown then deepened at her query.
"I don't sleep. When I do...." His gaze fell upon Hope.
"He's getting bigger."

Medina gave a little nod.

That part was true.

If he wanted her anywhere she'd be there. His frown concerned her and Medina gave him a look when he said he didn't sleep. Though, her attention was quickly shifted away when he commented on Hope. Medina smiled, looking to the child.

"They do a lot of that at the start," She said softly, taking a few steps towards Calent, Hope's eyes popping open again to stare at his father. "You were this tiny once," She said softly looking at Calent for a moment, shifting the child in her arms, "Kind of hard to believe."

"Yes..." He,mused, a curled hand reached out to stroke the child's cheek. "We all start off as something small and seemingly insignificant and weak."

Medina was a little entertained at the descriptor. Insignificant and weak.

"You try having a baby chew on your nipples," She nodded solemnly, "Nothing seems weak or insignificant about them then," She smiled when Hope's hand darted out to grab Calent's pinky, holding on for deal life. "I think he's getting a little fat but... That's fine, right? He's growing fast so... It'll... Go places."

"He's the child of a Duke.. and not just any Duke," he reminded. "He should eat well."

"Oh?"

Medina turned and Hope clung tighter to the finger, giving a little laugh.

"He eats fine," She said softly, looking away, before she sighed and ducked her head down, "What... What's to be done about... My Condition," She said simply, looking up at him while Hope slowly pulled Calents hand to his mouth.

He kept his gaze on Hope as he told her softly, "If the pregnancy is a healthy one, I'd hope you'd give birth to our child here."

Medina blinked at Calent, looking confused. Concerned? A wealth of expressions crossed her features and she looked down at herself. While she wasn't showing to a large degree yet, she was more than well aware of herself and her health. When wasn't she healthy? Her very being didn't allow that to happen.

"O.." Medina swallowed carefully, clearing her throat, "Our child?" the phrase caught her off guard, she'd been expecting... Well, something much different. "It's... Healthy. Only a few months to go, I... I won't be able to hide it much longer under puffy dresses," She admitted, looking away. "Why here? Easier to keep it a secret that way?"

"Yes."
It made sense.
"But the city, my people.. the people of Connlaoth, grow anxious about you. About.. Hope."

That was news.

To be honest, Medina had been rather cut off from the news of people and she looked at Hope trying in vain to get his fathers fingers into his mouth to chew on.

"I..." Medina frowned slightly, "They do?" A quirk of her head and she turned to look away, head tilted down, "I figured they'd have forgotten about..." Medina flushed, remembering how she'd given birth in a church, "Did I ever apologize for that? Or thank you?"

Calent cleared his throat.
"I suppose I should have been more open with the state Reajh is in," he began, letting Hope chew away as the baby made noises and gurgled against his fingers. "But ever since you had Hope... they have been asking about you." He went silent again to let it sink in for her.
"I declined the churches queries. I didn't think it wise to bring you into the public. But after the death of my wife..."
It was then calent tensed and Hope sensed it, and the baby coughed, and coughed again before he pulled his own little figners against his own little mouth and began to cry.

The death of his wife.

Right.

Medina ducked her head down, looking away only to have her attention caught by Hope coughing. Alarm was bright in her golden eyes and she turned to the child. "Hope?" She questioned, not that he could answer her, so she cooed and soothed. Her hand drawing down his back while she tucked him close against her chest and swayed side to side to calm him. Medina remained quiet while the baby's sobs turned into hiccups and she looked to Calent.

"I was unaware we'd made such a stir with the public," She said honestly. Of course there would have been rumours but for people to be asking after her... "Do... You think it wise now? Do you... Want to use me as some sort of... What." She asked helplessly, confused Hope's cries slowly turning from sobs to crocodile tears, he gave a dewy eyed look to Calent before he snuggled back in. "I am sorry," Medina said softly, "About your wife. I..." She ducked her head down, not sure how to apologize to a dead woman for sleeping with her husband.

"I can't undo what's been done and I don't know what your church wants of me."

He nodded at her apology and remained quiet as she calmed their son.

"The people grow restless for answers. For an end," he told her softly.

An end?

Medina rubbed her hand up and down Hope's back and gave Calent a weary look. "What... what do you suppose you're going to do?" That sounded very final. An end.

"The people are growing tired of a war against itself. I admit, I too, grow weary. But I knew a war in Ansgar's name wouldn't be an easy path. It will very well outlive me. The people... they want to see results. There has been a lot of death."

Medina didnt know what to do.

Did she feign support? There has never been a time where she wasn't selfishly after her own safety. Before meeting her stranger. After. Medina said nothing, instead turning to look about the quiet room they were in.

"What kind of results are they wanting to see?" She asked hesitantly, this conversation was like trying to walk on glass without getting cut. Her hand slowly went to her cheek, stinging at the touch. Frowning down and looking away, "You cant bring people back from the dead."

Calent frowned at her wound.
"Does it hurt?" he asked, hand hoovering over hers.

Medina frowned at Calent for a moment.

Right. The scratches left over from the back of his gauntlet. Medina moved her hand away, "only when I touch it. I'm a fast healer," she said quietly, looking down and away. Offering him a hesitant little smile, "Why did you hit him?" She whispered, "I'm hardly of significance to you, so you didnt hit him for me, I know that much."

Calent bristled and looked at her with hard eyes.
"I did hit him for you. He acted out of line."

Medina met the hard gaze with her own softer look. A little sad, maybe. Eyebrows draw up her forehead. "But... why? I'm hardly important to you," confusion was on her face, "you haven't seen me for months. For anything. And then you slap your most trusted..." Medina frowned, trying to think of the word, ".. Companion. Are... you sick?"

Her words hurt harder than they should. He stiffened.
"I don't have sex with just anybody," he growled softly.

Medina gave a helpless little laugh, her free hand reached up like she was moving to cup his cheek but ... Medina hesitanted and let her hand fall away. He wouldn't want her to touch him. She remembered that much.

"Just strange women in the rain?" She teased softly, leaning in to look at him, "and then a few more times after you bring her home? Do you demand everyone be your brood mare or just those women?" She was obviously refering to herself, the words werent malicious and in fact, there was a lopsided smirk on her face.

"You were a mistake." He paused, staring into her face. "A necessary mistake."

Medina couldn't keep the hurt out of her eyes. Couldn't help the tears that gathered, though she looked away quickly and cleared her throat. "The feeling is mutual," she stated stiffly, "maybe without the necessary part." Medina sighed and turned away for a moment.

"I dont know what to do," she admitted quietly, "before this happened I had... A life. I had a family. I dont even know where my brother is now. I havent heard from him in months." Medina pressed her cheek to Hope's head. "Yes. This was a mistake. But who's paying for it, Calent. You're going to either steal my child from me or turn me to the streets with him." Medina gave a bitter laugh.

"I at least thought id be a passing thought to my childs father..." Medina sighed, "I guess that was my mistake. Hope needs to lay down. Im leaving," and she moved to brush past him to the door. Medina wanted to curl up and sleep forever. It would be better than here.

He didn't move to go after her but spoke at her clearly before she left.
"Don't go."

Medina froze, looking over her shoulder and then giving a littke shrug. "Come with me," she looked to Hope, "poor boy can't nap on Mama's shoulder all afternoon. Besides," she sighed and looked away, "my arms ache."

He moved beside her.
"Then let me take him."

Except for that time they napped in the chair, Medina couldn't remember a time Calent held Hope. She smiled slightly at the other meaning of that. What a heavy name her child hand. Medinas face softened and she hesitantly passed the babe into his fathers arms.

"He looks more like you than I would have liked," she admitted, pressing her palm over the back of his head before looking at Calent, "I imgine he'll be the spitting image of you when he's a man."

"To be fair," he went on, adjusting the baby to gentle cradle him in his arms. "Your traits aren't too far from my own." Then again, he also had dominate Connlaothian traits. His hair, he wondered, would be more rich brown than his own, which had hints of red throughout. But Hope definitely had his green eyes, and ones he was known for. He gently kissed the top of his sons head and went quiet, just holding the baby and rocking him slowly back and forth in silence before there was the subtle, soft humming coming from his lips.

Was that an almost normal conversation?

Medina remained quiet, opening her mouth but closing it shortly after. Just watching. Hating how her chest tightened at the sight of Calent holding her son. Their son. Hope snuggled into the different kind of wamth. Medina couldn't keep the small smile off of her face when Calent started to hum and she tucked her hands under her elbow.

Subconciously she'd joined him in his slight rocking movements. "That's a lovely song," her voice was soft, and she moved closer, placing her hand over Calents on Hope. A moments silence, "I... I'm sorry for your loss," Medina whispered, moving her hand away, "I imagine you loved her very much," her voice was soft and she ducked her head down. If the stories she'd heard were true, the Grand Duke had loved his wife very much. And what sort of monster did that make her?

"Yes." His words came out dry, soft. "As much as a man like me could love a woman."

What an un-answer.

Medina gave a wry smile, amused perhaps. "What sort of man is that?" She tilted her head at him, watching Hope before looking at Calents face, finding the scars interesting on an otherwise very pretty face.

He looked away, off into the distance- perhaps at the window, or through it.
"A man of ignorant grace."

"I see," she said softly.

Medina really didnt. A quick look off to the side and she took a big breath and looked to Calent. At Hope. "Is he heavy yet? I've found he gets heavier the longer I hold him." A little smile and she stroked his pudgy cheek.

"I... Calent," she said. Wanting to talk to the man. Not the Grand Duke mask. "I.. How are we going to lie about this one?" She inicated to her misection,"even if no one sees me pregnant it will still be suspicious. I cant exactly have two dead husbands."

He went quiet, eyes still elsewhere.
And he stayed quiet.

"He doesn't feel heavy at all," came his reply, as equally distant sounding as his eyes.

Medina moved closer, only a breath away. Real concern was on her face. "Are you okay? You look like you're a thousand lifetimes away..." she shook her head and impulsively raised a hand to his cheek, seeing if his face was warm with fever.

That's when he turned and looked at her, deeply and truly. Hope had calmed in his arms, cooing and bubbling off his own spit, which merely became background noise beneath the intensity of his gaze.
"What do you think the nation would think if I were to marry a commoner; the mother of their Hope?"

There was a mean joke in there. Asking her what the nation would think. Medina returned the look, though not nearly as intensely. "I suppose they'd think you were more human," she said. Think of it like a noble.

Sure seeing their son in his fathers arms was making her melt a bit but that was beside the point."probably think something romantic - like I got under your skin with my wylie charm," Medina finally removed her hand from his cheek and rubbed her plam over the nid section of her dress.

"Which we both know I have," she teased softly, finger tracing Hope's cheek. "Whý? Going to finally make use of me?"

He grew quiet again, looking down at Hope.

Medina looked at Hope to.

"You'll get to be his father. Officially," she said softly, a ghost of a smile on her lips, "you can nap with him even. Hope gives the best sleepysnuggles."

His face moved, the placid expression softening.
"So you would do it?" came his low, soft reply. His eyes were still on Hope.

Would she?

Medina had been expected to be told to marry him if it came to it. "Would you ever be able to care about me?" She asked, the question a little raw feeling, "because the answer to that is the answer I choose."

He still didn't look at her and swallowed the lump in his throat.
"A man should always care for his wife."

Medina looked to Hope before she placed her hand against his cheek and rurned his head towards her. "That's a good un-answer," she teased, letting her hand fall away so she could tickle Hope, who just grinned up at them after giving a shrill cackle. "Don't worry," she said, "I know what not to expect from you." The word love remained unspoken - Medina wasnt a fool. Mostly.

"I'd..." be stupid. Why did she think she could change anything, "I'd like for Hope to have a father."

His eyes locked to hers as he caught her by the arm.
"Then you have condemned yourself."

Medina smiled.

Had she ever.

"I condemned myself when I didn't recognize you," She said truthfully, looking into his eyes, then lowered her arm. Medina placed hers on top of his and gave it a squeeze before she sighed and let it drop away. "Besides, I have no where else to go," Medina was a sheep in wolfs clothing. Deep in the pack. She knew that if she was caught she'd be put to death. Would she?

"You offer me a... A place. You're sort of like a big stone wall unless we're in the thick of it," Medina wiggled her eyebrows at him, indicating what 'thick of it' meant, "But... I..." Medina huffed, "I'm stubborn. I'm loud. I'm not nobility. But I'm here and you talk to me and when you aren't being huffy and puffy I think we get along." Medina nods, "So, if I'm going to be condemned anyway at least sometimes you'll get a full nights rest - maybe."

Calent remained stiff and pursed his lips before exhaling through his nose.
"Most women would die for such a chance." He turned to scrutinize her, gaze softening. "Me, I think I'd die just for a peaceful nights rest."

Die.

Medina squinted at Calent for a moment, an eyebrow raised and she just looked at him. "For you?" She gave him an entertained look, trying not to smile in disbelief, "Or the status?" Medina shrugged because, honestly, both were unappealing. It was a rhetorical question and she gave him a sympathetic smile, "Well, dying would let you sleep for a very long time," She pointed out, attention grabbed by Hope who looked up at his parents and gave a laugh before kicking his little legs and grinning up at them.

Medina grinned at Calent before turning back to Hope, "I'd die for him," She nodded to their child, "I think that's about it."

Quiet was always his way, and during the silence he passed of their child back to his mother.
"What if I gave you the option to leave?" he asked her, tone serious, as was his expression.

Medina held Hope, lifting him to rest him against her shoulder.

"Well, I'd ask if that's what you want." Medina tilted her head and looked up at him, "What do you want? Not... What do you think will make people happy. Me included."

He kept his back to her, frowning as he stared towards the window.
"I'm in no position to think about what I want."
But what did he want? His mind wandered as he watched a flock of birds flutter from the rooftops, then across the sky.

Medina chewed on her lower lip and moved to stand beside him, glancing at him from the side.

"Well," She started, smoothing her hand up and down Hope's back, "Just pretend you are. Pretend that for the next ten minutes you're allowed to want something. Or not want something. What is the desired outcome to this... Situation." She nodded, "Just because you're not supposed to, doesn't mean you can't." She motioned to Hope, he probably wasn't supposed to have sex with a stranger in the rain but that hadn't stopped him and look where they were now.

He didn't look at her.
"I did that once."
His frown deepened.
"And it landed you as a prisoner here... with our son."

That was true.

Medina looked at Hope, eyes closed again after his few moments of joyful wriggling. Still, her chest tightened when he said 'our son' and she looked away briefly, closing her eyes. "Well, I'm already here," her voice was soft, pursing her lips, "Do you enjoy my company when I'm not infuriating you? Do you want to marry me?" Medina gave a helpless little shrug, "I'm here because I made a mistake about when he was going to be born. You just did what you thought was best and...  It's your choice if you want to keep me here or send me away."

"And if it was your choice?" he asked, hands clasped behind his back, still  not looking in her direction. "Would you not go?"

Medina opened her mouth.

A little frown, eyebrows drawn together.

"I don't know," She shrugged, "I guess that depends on if you need me or not." It seemed like a simple enough answer to her. "If you need me, I'd stay. If you don't... I'd go."

The questions kept coming back to him. But he pawned them right back at her.
"What about your want... your need?" he asked, impatience rising in his other wise cooled tone. He still faced the window.

Medina looked at him, raising an eyebrow.

"What do they matter to you? I have no where to go. I have a child. I'm pregnant." Medina shrugged, "If you have a use for me, staying is the best choice," she said levelly, "This isn't about what I want. What I want is to take back that strangely passionate night together but that isn't going to happen and my life will never be the same. I'm not a man. I can't just ignore my child for months," a look to him before she took a breath, "So. Tell me, Calent. Do you want me to leave? Why can't you just admit that you hate me and you want me to leave -- That will definitely make the choice for us and you can go pump some noble girl full of babies after you marry her, while I take care of my child- Children- somewhere far away from here."

It was easier to talk this way. He didn't have to look at her, but could feel the tense storm brewing. Both in the skies, he noted in the horizon, and from the emotions brewing from within.

"I will arrange for you to return to your home. Or some home... safe, and far from here."

That was what she wanted, right?

Medina looked away, frowning at the ground for a moment. Why did she feel so... Disappointed? A deep audible breath before she let it out in a soft sigh. Medina didn't want to marry him. She didn't want to... To be here. Didn't want to be some pretend prisoner. "Just like that?" The words were out of her mouth before she could stop them but she pressed a kiss to Hope's head and looked out the window too.

"I..." Medina sighed and ducked her head down, eyes closed, "I... Guess this is good bye?" Her voice sounded heavy and she sighed again, "I... Wish you the best. And I hope that at least in some way, you can find love again." A little nod and she turned to walk away. It would be easy to pack, she supposed, none of the dresses she'd been wearing were hers.

"It was a proposal," he said to her, voice cutting her way before she made it to the door.
"But go." Why did he try to keep her lingering? "I will make the arrangements for you."

Medina sighed and turned around.

"You still haven't told me what you wanted," her voice was loud - perhaps too loud, "I won't move an inch until you tell me." She lifted her chin, lips drawn into a stubborn thin line.

He looked at her. He shouldn't have looked. But his gaze was intense, and the air began to darken, as a soft rumble of thunder could be heard off in the distance.

Hope moved anxiously in his mothers arm. There was a flash of lighting. And the babe began to cry.

A maid came by, spotting Medina at the door with the crying Hope.

"My lady, would you like me to take him? His diapers.. oh dear, they must be soiled. Poor thing."

It was a good enough distraction as any as he turne dhis back to her and simply said.
"Go. The maid will escort you back to your room."

Medina wasn't afraid of storms.

Her attention, however, was taken away by the maid and she whipped her head around, her braid turning to smack her in the side. "Oh... yes, please," Medina gave Hope a kiss on the head and handed him to the maid, "I'd greatly appreciate if you'd take care of him for now I'll be by soon." She said simply, ignoring the words from Calent. A little nod and she shoo'd the maid off with Hope, his cries echoing down the hallway with soft hushes from the maid to calm him.

Instead of going with the maid, she moved to Calent. "I told you I wasn't leaving until you answered me," She grabbed his shoulder and pushed it to turn him towards her, "You can't just... Fuck up my life and then ignore me!"

She forced him. SHe went against his words and there he was, looking at her as a strong hand moved out to grab her by the wrist. But then he saw the wound, saw the drying blood.
"And you don't think you fucked up mine as well?" A flash of lightning lit up the room, a strong wind blowing, fluttering at the candles that lit the room. "I never raped you!" he told her, a cold venom to his tone, his eyes glazed with anger.

"Fucked up yours how!" Medina growled, confused and angry. Stubborn and willful. The lightening had her glance at the window and she looked back at him, gold meeting green. "And I never said you raped me," She hissed, "but you brought me here. You could have just left me in that church, you could have found out where I lived and brought me there," Medina frowned, "You don't know what you want because you're just some puppet. Do you feel anything?" Her heart thumped in her chest and she used her other hand to push at his shoulder, angry.

Disappointed. Sad.  Mostly angry.

"What am I supposed to think, you bringing me here. You telling me to... To Brood mare your children. And then you throw me out like so much trash. Me and your children. Are you doing it to get us out of your hair? Because we're such a hassle or because of something else?" Her teeth were clenched but she kept her voice as calm as she could, "I wasn't raised as nobility and I won't take 'because I said so' as an answer, your title doesn't scare me because I've seen the real you. That... " She wiggled her face at him because her hands were occupied, "That dark creature behind that mask of yours."

The grip on her hand once slacked, but at her last statement, it tensed again.
"You don't belong here," he told her through his teeth. She'd feel the heat rising in his hands, the anger in his grip which tightened. "You wanted to be freed of this place, yet here you stand, fighting me at the first chance you've got." He was furious. "You're no noble. This palace is for the powerful. Go. I'll take you to the church, if that's what you want. The church wants Hope, it's wants you. Is that what you want?"
A crack of thunder and intense flashing of lighting lit up the room as almost all the candles got snuffed out by a new gush of wind. Even still, his green eyes bore into hers, glazed over with rage, and something more.

"No," She hissed, "I don't want to be taken by the church." Medina shook her head, frowning at him. That was a frightening prospect. The church. They'd find out she was a mage. Find out about Hope. Medina paled at the idea, looking away briefly. The rush of wind made her wince, eyes closing briefly before she made eyecontact again.

It was easier to have a heated conversation when there was eye contact, something, she noticed, Calent avoided.

"I'm not arguing leaving. I want to know why. I want to ..." Medina sighed, looking away, she didn't want to be here. She didn't want her child growing up here. She didn't want to... "Just... I don't even know anymore," She closed her eyes and took a deep breath, "I guess I just wanted to make you feel something - even anger," Medina admitted, voice going quiet, looking out towards the storm. Her hands fell and she looked down at them for a moment before meeting his eyes. "I was quite enamored with the angry stranger I met," she admitted, "I was ... Very disappointed when I found out who you were.  I'd never get to know you. Never get to... Explore whatever could have happened between us - because as much as you want to pretend there was nothing, you would be lying." Medina tried to smile, chin still high, " You're right though. There's no place for me here and there never will be."

A deep breath and she blew it out slowly, "I'll die before I let you give Hope to the church though and I'd take you and him with me." Her words were steely and she rose her chin, an almost challenging look. A dead child was better than him in their hands.

"If I let you go, they will hound you endlessly. Since Hope's arrival, the church has been clawing at my walls."

Medina froze.

"What?" Her breath caught in her throat, "no. He's just a baby born in a church!" Then she frowned, "then..." a look at the storm flashed and she ducked her head down, "I can't leave with him." A shiver passed through her, and tears filled her eyes. "What... What am I supposed to do? I cant run away from the church."

More lightning flashed adn thunder roared, shaking the very grounds around them.

"You need to marry." he said softly, during a small break in the storm.

Medina ducked her head down, eyes closed.

"Marry who, Calent. Zannrick? I'm fairly certain he'd slit my throat in my sleep," she scoffed looking away, head down. "We've already established there's no place for me here."

Calent scowled.
"No one would enjoy that union."
And if Zannrick were jealous of her, Calent would be over the top if he had to surrender her to that man. He respected Zannrick, but he knew the hatred the man held towards her.

"But the church is nearly as powerful as I."

He pursed his lips, the thunder purring.

"But could do nothing if I took you as my wife." The last oart was spoken so softly, it was almsot gobbled up by the rising rumble of a second wave of thunder that shook the ground.

No one would enjoy that union.

The words almost made her laugh, but the gravity of the situation only made her smirk a little bit. No one would enjoy it was an understatement. As much as she tried to be friends with the man he seemed... Just to hate her. Protective. His wife again. Medina looked to Calent and swallowed carefully.

"Then?" Her breathing picked up, if marrying Calent to keep Hope safe no matter the location then... "When? Is that something you would do for him? For me?" And back to square one. If he has just told her leaving wasn't an option because her child would be snatched by the church she would have suggested marriage herself. "Marry me then, I can take lessons on which of the twelve forks I need to use to eat soup with."

He looked away.
"It's not that easy."

Medina looked away, her hands moved to her head and she pressed her palms to her eyes.

"I know. Twelve different forks is a lot for a woman like me to understand," she said softly, looking away, "Help me then. What do I need to do?"

Lightning lit up the room.
"If I married you."
Thunder purred.
"I'd have to defy the church."

Medina sighed, head down. Her hands in fists that she pressed to her face before she sighed heavily.

"Then... There are your options. You give us to them or you don't," A shake of her head and she walked to the window, a deep breath and she poked her head out of the window, leaning out to look at the ground. "Or... You give me to them and you keep Hope," A look over her shoulder and then back at the window, "Or... Or Hope and I go to Serendipity. Or Adela." Medina pressed a hand to her chest, goosebumps raising on her flesh from the chill of the wind.

It was then he put his large hands upon his shoulders and gripped her tightly, daring to look her right in the eyes.
"I wouldn't give you or our son to the church that way. Their desires for him stemmed from his birth, which even I can't deny seems odd and coincidental. But they see it as a sign," his eyes were intense. "A sign directed by me, under me and they make it all about some praise for my ruling that-"
He was having a hard time over the words and he hated faltering.
"If I chose to marry you. It would break tradition, but would end the frenzy and keep both you and Hope safe. But it could also be the very decision that makes my reign fall. Me, a man, a duke, The Grand duke, marrying a woman of common blooda nd not even a full blooded Connlaothian while I host a war against the magical abusers who still continue to make a dent in my men. You.. what woudl you think? To have a man with such power simple choose a wife without the same blood standing?"

A hesitant little breath and she shivered at his touch, hands falling to her sides. "It was an accident," She started to say, tears in her eyes, "I didn't... I didn't think I'd have him there," Medina looked up at Calent, lost, a little crushed. "I'm sorry. I was content to live hidden away with him, he would have been raised with love and..." Medina's head fell forward before she looked up at Calent, golden eyes swimming.

"I want what's best for Hope," She said honestly, "I can learn. I'm smart. Maybe... Maybe the people will think it's a whirlwind romance. I've lived here my whole life. My father was from Connlaoth. You've had your political marriage maybe..." Medina looked her lips and pushed the tears away, she wasn't listening, not quite. Begging the very man who wants her dead in a camp to keep their son safe. "Maybe they'll think you're being accepting. See it as... An olive branch to the common people. "

A hand moved to her face, a thumb wiping her tears.
"Do you see the dilemma I face now? Do you see the roads I have to choose? It doesn't matter what I want, it never has. This position... as the Grand Duke I am owned by the people and if I were to choose you they'd either accept it or continue this war with me."
But his hands were on her face now as he looked at her, eyes raging.
"But I think I only have one answer I can give." And the world was already at war with him as he smashed his lips passionately into hers.

Medina listened to him, a little out of her head with dread. Being the Grand Duke sounded awful. Still, she looked at him, eyes cast down after a few moments before she took a little breath and let it out in a wet sigh. "I just ---" Medina was taken off guard by the kiss, eyes snapping open before she moved her hands to his wrists and pressed herself into the kiss, flushed. "Please," She panted against his lips, "I can learn. I want to keep him safe."

"It won't be easy," he told her, closing his eyes then cupping her cheek as he examined her wounds."The world will question it." And part of him wondered... "But the church may not. They see Hope as a connection through you, through me and through God."

Medina gave a breathless laugh.

"I've had a child," she breathed, shaking her head, "I don't think anything will be as difficult as that," a helpless little smile and she closed her eyes, feeling his hand on his cheek. It felt nice. In an odd way. "The world won't keep my son safe," she turned her head, looking out the window, the cut cheek facing Calent, "That's all I want. I guess," She looked down at herself, smoothing her hand over her belly - hardly there but... She knew... "I guess this one, too," She added helplessly, giving him a sad smile. "I'll even not talk over you, that's a big thing for me," she said in a hushed voice.

"You'll be in a position worse than you are now," he told her softly, staring at where her hands smoothed across her belly.

Medina ducked her head down, the weight of her braid making the rest of it slip over her shoulder. "I'll do anything to keep our child safe." Her hands clenched in front of her and she sighed, eyes closed, "I can learn. I..  It wouldnt be that bad."

"The world would know of your common origins," he stated. "And it would expected of you to adapt to your position."

Medina smirked, lifting her head. "I can be endearing," she said. She didnt add the 'sort of' that floated through her head, "I'm smart. I'm well read," a sigh, "I just have an issue with the soup forks. I dont care how many books i have to read about fine dining. If this is the only way I can protect Hope I'll do it." It would be awful, stuck here but... Hope was more important.

Calent's eye were dancing with amusement, but then he realized something and the amusement dimmed. He looked towards the window, silently watching the falling rain and listening to the crashes of thunder that were beginning to sound more distant.

Medina looked to his face, staring at his eyes before she looked to the storm. "I... I have no intention of trying to replace her. This... This is just a business deal, right? The... The people see you marrying the mother of Hope as a... a sign of some sort and you can adopt him and keep him safe." She sighed and turned from him, standing at the window to look out at it. A tremble ran through her and she squeezed her eyes shut.

"I expect nothing more than that," not that she'd turn it away either. Some things were better left unspoken.

"A grand duchess, and a wife, have duties to uphold," he pointed out. They couldn't be denied.

Medina tilted her head, looking over her shoulder at him. "Like what? I imagine one of those would require study," she smiled slightly. That was something she could do. Study. Books were eady, "what kind of duties?"

"As a companion, a mother. I have no heirs. Though Hope could be considered one, the country would desire a male to be birthed... officially."

A small smile and she reached out, hand hovering over his arm before she thought better of it and let it fall to her side. "I... Could live with that. I liked scaring Zannrick because you were sleeping. I'd like that to happen again," a little hesitant smile and she played with her hands, feeling a little awkward.

"Yes.." He looked at her directly. "I can't wait to sleep again."

Medina blushed.

A quick glance away and she cleared her throat, "I... Will be glad to help?" A sigh and her hands covered her tummy,  "whats to be done about this?" A little nervous that the answer might be something she wouldn't like she ducked her head down to look at her hands.

He looked at her as the room darkened after a flutter of lightning flashed through the window.
"How far along are you?"

A sigh and she gave Calent a look before she sighed. "Last time we slept together," medinas voice was soft and she sighed, "four months? Five months?" A little shrug and she looked aqay, "half way or so."

Four or five months.
Thunder rumbled softly off in the distance. He turned her way.
It had been four or five months since he had any decent sleep.
"Let's sleep on this. I don't think either of us are in a good place to make any final thoughts about this proposal," he told her softly.

Medina gave a little nod.

While she'd give up her life to keep Hope out of the churches hands, she simply nodded and looked away for a moment. Deep breaths. "Alright. Um," Medina tilted her head and tried to smile at him, "I'll see you tomorrow then?" A little smile and she gave Calent a squeeze on his arm, "sleep... um... at all?" Deep breaths.

Medina nodded once before she started to wander away.

But he caught her arm. He didn't let her go.
"Can you stay the night?"

Medina's heart jumped into her throat and she stared for a moment. A look around and she licked her lower lip, "uh..." Medina gave a little nod, having made worse mistakes before. "Would you like that?" She whispered, hands trembling just a little.

"Only if you'd be alright with it," he assured her, softly.

Medina smiled and tilted her head, giving a little smile and, against her better judgement, nodded. "I guess that would be fine," a light awkward chuckle and she cleared her throat. "Lead the way?"

Lead the way or not, she knew where his bed room lay. But it was the principle of the thing and as they made their way to his chambers, Zannrick was no where to be seen. It wasn't questioned, and his room wasn't too far away, and soon he was opening the door for her and the moment it was closed, he caught her by the hand again, his other smoothing across her belly up to her breasts as he cupped one and pulled her into a heated kiss.

Medina had bern expected to be just used as some sort of sleeping aid.  So when she was grabbed, a warm hand on her belly, a hand on her breast. A soft gasp left her before his lips were over hers. A soft moan and she pressed into it eagerly, needy for touch and attention.

Medina leaned away after a moment, flushed, lips red. "I thought we were just going to sleep," her voice had a slight tremble and she swallowed, feeling self conscious, "the whole pregnancy thing is pretty obvious when I'm undressed," she rushed out, flushed and looking away.

"And?" he asked, lips moving towards her neck as he pulled her close again. "I made you that way," he whispered hotly into her ear, fingers moving to unlace her dress.

Medina tried in vain to keep her dress on.

For a few moments anyway. It made her angry that she'd missed this man. When had he ever been kind beyond letting her stay here with her son? So many conflicted emotions. Anger. Jealousy. Medina didn't want to admit how nice it felt to be wrapped in his arms. Still, his whisper sent a shiver through her and heat pooled between her thighs.

Swallowing carefully she worked at the buttons of his clothing, pressing in for kisses and shrugging her dress off so her arms could be free to push at his clothing. "Touch me," she whispered, pushing his shirt from his shoulders, "please."

Stupid foolish girl. Medina leaned in and bit where his shoulder met his neck for good measure.

"Touch me." she said
"Please."
He obeyed, hot hands smoothing all over her body, devouring curves before pulling her close. Hungered lips met to her, ravenous for the feel, the taste of her. Everything. It was a dizzying spark, and whatever his status was, where ever they stood together, a child ot be, a child already born, he did not care.

With her he lived in the moment. And the moment would last only that long. A moment.

Their clothing was shed, cast aside as his hands still roamed her body, feeling her hips and the swell of her belly, gripping her ass then moving up her back then gripping her shoulders as they walked to an unkonwn destination. Then hands found her breasts, lips still kissing her lips before he took her to his bed and climbed ontop of her.

His hands pushed through her dark hair, ebfore smoothing down her body, gripping at her leg and hosting it up as their bodies aligned. And somewhere in the middle of their next round of kisses, they were making love.

It was easy to get caught up in the moment. Medina didn't care who her stranger was. Didn't care that this would only end badly. Only end in tears. The odd spark between them, the strange connection that she didn't want. The strange new life she hadn't sought out. The children she didn't want but now that she had them she would fight the world to protect.

"I missed you," she panted against his mouth, pulling him in for more needy kisses. The words startled her a little, she drew back when she said them but instead of dwelling on it she pulled him down to her, curling her leg around him and stroking his scarred cheek. Medina was demanding in their love making, fingers digging into flesh and unwilling to let go.

His name was a soft chant through the night and and perhaps a heated prayer, a warm caress when she'd met her crest.

Medina woke up first. Her eye cracked open from the light of dawn pouring in from the window. She'd been using Calent as a pillow, her head pressed against his lower chest and the light was slowly moving up his body. Currently right on his face. The sheets were a rumpled mess at the foot of his fancy bed and Medina gave a blurry blink and looked down at her. And him. Her leg was up and over his thighs and instead of moving away, or being embarrassed, she simply cuddled in closer. A content little sigh.

The day had barely started, it could wait a little bit longer.

When he stirred, his nose itched at the daylight tickling across his face. Then he opened his eyes and slowly looked around the room. It was a strange sensation, to have actually slept. and he said nothing, simply sighed and relaxed into the bed.

Medina had just had her eyes closed, but when she felt Calent's breathing change she opened her eyes and licked her lips. She couldn't remember if she'd said anything regrettable the evening before but she didn't move from her spot, curled up around him and instead took a deep breath and smiled. "Well, the storm passed," She whispered, moving to sit up, still quite naked. She hadn't lied when she said her pregnancy was much more obvious when she wasn't wearing yards and yards of fabric, and she arranged her long dark hair to cover as much of herself as she could. "Did you sleep?" she whispered softly, offering him a small hesitant smile

At her question, he turned to her and nestled in against her form. His hands were secure around her and his face, nestled into her shoulder as he sighed.

"I did." His eyes were closed again and after a moment, his breathing lightened. He might have fallen back to sleep.

What was she to do?

Medina shifted slightly so she was a little more comfortable, her fingers started to card through his hair and it was while she did this that she started to drift off again too. One leg was curled up over him and Medina gave a llittle shiver before she gave Calent a sleepy kiss on the forehead.  It was easy enoigh to fall asleep again, and she did.

His sleep had been interrupted. Surely something had to be wrong when the Grand Duke did not appear at his appointments, and early. But he shooed them away, commanded them to be reassigned and went right back to sleeping.

It was bittersweet. But he knew the tasks of the day were of little importance, and if he were to take advantage of such a state, at least once in his life, today was the day.

When Medina woke up a second time her face was puffy from sleep and she rose up on her hands from the bed. A confused sleepy glance around and... Hope. Medina sat up quickly, pulling the sheets away and... Where was her clothing.

Medina looked down at herself, still naked, why was she was... Oh.

Medina stared at Calent. Oh. Right. Her hand moved to her stomach, the swell of child obvious in her unclothed state and she looked to his door and was relieved to find it closed. A glance to Calent. Was he still sleeping? Hope had maids. Hope had everything he needed. Carefully she reached a hand and placed it on his arm. "Calent?" Her voice was soft, "Are you still sleeping?" She didn't try to shake him away, and was mostly just curious if he'd gotten enough sleep to rouse him from it.

He just made a noise and turned away from her, face buried in his pillow. No. He wasn't going to get up. He was the Grand Duke. If he wante dto gain at least some of his lost sleep back, he was damn well going to try.

Still sleeping. Okay.

Medina just watched him sleep, her fingers moved to his hair. Could she annoy him maybe? Medina lightly trailed a design along his back, finger drifting along his spine. "You know, if you sleep too long you'll get a headache."

Her fingers felt nice drawing against his skin.
"I can't remember the last time I haven't had one," he murmured.

The designs continued and she smiled  to herself when he answered her. Wasn't sleeping then. Medina slowly rose onto her knees and moved both her hands to Calent's back, "I can't tell if you're mostly on your side or your stomach, so... Roll onto your stomach." The words were demanding, but she kept the trailed designs light and she pressed a palm against his back, "Please. At the very least you'll feel nice, maybe even fall asleep again."

He obeyed, even as sleepy as he was, and sighed as he felt her fingers against his skin.
"I intend to sleep all day," came his groggy reply. "I'vegot years worth of sleep to catch up on."

Medina pulled the blanket's down Calent's back and, basically, seated herself on his thighs. Careful not to put too much weight on him, her hands smoothed over his back, along his sides. Palms pressed against his spine and she worked at his back with her finger tips. A nice morning - mid morning? What time was it? Massage. Medina took a moment to shake her head. Here she was. Naked in the Grand Duke's bed, forcibly giving him a massage. Pregnant with their second child.

What had her life become.

A terrible awful book is what.

Medina sighed softly as she worked at the knots gently, hands warm.

Calent breathed softly, nearly drooling into his pillow as he licked his lips and sighed.
"Do you remember the storm? The night in which we met?" he asked quietly, appearing very much half asleep.

Medina worked at his back with warm gentle hands, occationally stopping to toss her long dark hair over her shoulder. "Yes," she said softly, "I thought you were going to jump off the bridge."

He tensed a little at those words.
"How easy it would be all over just from that," he murmured. But was he so weak willed to do it?
He was at least weak enough to let himself simply bed a strange woman, and out in the storm, in the rain, no less.

Medina leaned down, so her breasts were pressed to his back and her mouth was by his ear. "And you'll remember that we fell off," she leaned back again, working against his angry muscles. Medina sighed, "I'm not sorry for that night," she said softly, "But I am sorry i went to the church. Our son would have never been an interest to anyone if... I hadn't been so stubborn."

Despite the nice feeling of the massage, something tensed and he found himself asking, "Why did you come to the church?"

"Do you have to tense up your whole back when something makes you uncomfortable?" She grumbled, moving her hands along, swallowing at his question she frowned slightly. "I wanted to tell my child I saw the day it opened. I wanted to be part of something significant, even if i was only present." Medina went quiet for a moment, "I also wanted to see you, even if it was just one last time from the crowd."

There was a soft laugh and she placed her hands on his shoulder blades, "I wanted to keep your face in my memory, so that when my son grew up i could make lies about his father but comment on how much he looks like him."

"And what if our son looked like you?"

Medina grinned, "Then I'd come up with a different set of lies. It was all planned out in my head..." then she looked down at herself. "And then... I had Hope in the church. Now here I am, naked, giving my stranger a massage and pregnant again." Medina's hands stopped and he let her head fall forward, "clearly i dont make good choices."

He turned to cup her face, body moving so he was laying beneath her, belly up and his own naked body at attention.

"You made the gravest mistake of your life that night. Pride..." A thumb gently stroked her lower lip. "Pride made you my prisoner."

Medina shuffled to let him turn over and when he was down, she looked down at him before seating herself on hid thighs again. Medina gave him a soft smile and she turned her face to his palm.

"Pride?" She said, moving her hands to rest on either side of his head, "I would have chalked it up to being stubborn. If I was prideful I'd hardly be sitting naked on top of you in the middle of the day."

"But pride brought you to the church," he corrected, eyes upon her, a hand cupping her cheek. "And you had to go there. And you had our child."

Looking down at him, she pressed her cheek into his hand with a soft side. Eyes closed. "Yes. I suppose I did that," shifting against him, she licked her lips and shimmied down to rest her chin on his chest, "I don't know what to do about this one." She admitted softly, cheek pressed to his heartbeat.

Calent kept his arms around her body, and though his member was hard and at attention, he ignored his desires for now and simply held her.

"You could become a symbol,"he toldhe rsoftly, a hand stroking her hair. "I'm losing favor with the lower class. Seeing a Grand Duchess rise from common blood... it could help unify the favors I have lost. A lot of the working people are soldiers, and they have lost many good men for the cause."

It would keep Hope safe.

As safe as could be while Calent was still the Grand Duke.

"What story would that weave?" She breathed, sitting up and looking down between them before she took his hands and moved them down her body, over her breasts and down to her belly. Golden eyes on his face. "The devilish temptress? Mother of Hope who seduced the Grand duke." Medina nibbled on her lower lip while she wriggled up to press closer to him. "I think Zannrick would destroy something in a fit of rage," she said with a half smile, tracing the cut on her cheek.

"People will always talk," he told her, letting her guide his hands over her body. "They will always say cruel things and weave stories from their own tongues. It is the way of people." His eyes never left hers, his cheeks, flushing hot, as was the rest of his body.

Gold met green and she leaned forward again, her dark hair a curtain around them. "And the real story?" She whispered against his lips, giving little rolls of her hips to tempt him along, her own cheeks flushed and body heated.

"That there was a fault in the storm, a fault in our person, and a connection against the odds.."
A hand smoothed up her body, as he moved, aligning his own with hers and...
Slid inside her with a shiver, as he began to roll his hips with need.

Medina gave a soft hiss, eyes closing. Pushing her hair to one side she matched his rhythm and lifted her head up. Her hands on either side of his head while she rocked her hips above him, only breaking eye contact to shiver away at the pleasure.

"No whirlwind romance?" She teased, half smiling.

"No,"he told her gruffly, fucking up into her with need. "A maelstrom."

Each movement bounced her up and earned him a squeaky hiccup of breath. Fingers dug into blankets by his head and she did her best not to close her eyes and lift her head away. She wanted to watch him. Wanted to see. "I didn't think I was that - ah- intrusive," biting her lip, she rocked against him. Needy grinds of her own against him, lips plush and red from her teeth. Medina closed her eyes for a moment, going tense and still before she let out a soft moan and shivered, though her eager movenents continued all the same.

"A maelstrom isn't intrusive,"he corrected, still grunting through moans of pleasure. His eyes were half lidded, his hands holding her with possession. "It's all powerful, all consuming.. chaotic."

"I'm not sure," She panted, head tipping forward, "If that's a compliment or not." Her hand moved to his arm and she squeezed it tight, the movements became a primal dance and Medina rode it out. Medina bit her lip and sat up, the morning sunlight playing off her body. Her hair taking on a golden sheen from the orange where it curled around her hip.

"Calent," She panted, hands on his abdomen while she jerked her hips back and forth against him with abandon. Her fingers dug in and she tensed up, back arching into the warm sunlight while she rode him, so close. Just a little bit away. His name was a breathy chant while she moved and it only quieted down when her lip was between her teeth.

"It's a compliment." He moaned. His eyes rolled back. His hips rolled. "We compliment each other." Strong hands remained glued to her waste as his own pace picked up to rough bucks up into her. He needed her, wanted her, and he was taking her fast and with need.

Did they?

Medina was about to speak. A retort was sitting on her tongue, but all that came out was a heated breath and a sharp gasp. Hands fisted the pillow beside his head and she ground down into his bucks, breath being pushed from her with each thrust up. Medina curled forward, muscles tense before she pressed her forehead to his with her eyes squeezed shut. Her hands moved to his cheeks and she pressed her lips to his before she jerked above him, coming around him with a sharp breath against his mouth.

Arching her back, her hair flipping backwards, she stretched away, fingers pressing to his chest while she tried to catch her breath. Giving minute movements of her hips, cheeks flushed and body trembling. It was a mistake. This was all a mistake. It was a very good mistake though. It just so happened that her favourite mistake also was the Grand Duke.

Ansgar's name, the hate and love he felt towards this woman was indescribable. She became like a drug to him, a basic instinct, a need. And while she believed him as her favorite mistake, the same could be said about her. She was an answer to his prayers, and it didn't hurt she was a damn good woman in bed; one who didn't use him for his title, but if anything, hated him for it. And she wasn't here to trick him into children, it just happened.

Stations didn't matter in that moment, in that room. They were simple two lovers in heat, in need, reading one another's body as Calent's hands moved up to hungrily rove all over her's. He grabbed her breasts roughly, cupping, squishing, massaging them rough as thumbs rolled over her hard nipples and his sex continued to pound up into her like a striking hammer.

"Gods you feel like heaven," he moaned against her skin, sitting up now and pulled her near. Lips met to her lips before trailing down hungry, lapping kisses from cheek, neck then chest; where he kissed her all over, like some boy bedding a womana nd seeing her body for the first time and finally being allowed to indulge in such a sin.

Medina let out a breathy laugh. Flushed, short of breath. Eyes hooded from pleasure and she moved with him, body trembling. Her fingers pushed through his hair before she cradled his head to her chest. "Thank you?" She panted to his moaned compliment, pressing her lips to his temple while she rocked above him.

Holding him close, her breath hitched again and her fingertips bit into skin. "Mmm- you're not very good at going back to sleep," she whispered to him like it was a secret, though she pressed another kiss to his forehead. "I wanted to relax you," she breathed, hands moving up and down his arms, "though this is always nice too."

It was too much. He moved to roll over so he was ontop, and eh pinned her down, fucking her with good, hard, brunt thrusts. He was stabbing in so deep she'd feel his balls slapping against her as he moaned.

"Let's do this all day," he told her, mouth against her throat. Teeth nibbled against her skin as he continued to fuck. "Ansgar's name you feel so good."

Medina arched her back into him giving needy little noised and clutching his arms tightly. "A-a-all day?" She panted, eyes falling closed for a moment while she rolled her hips against him. One arm curled around his neck and she pressed her lips to his hair. "Won't your maids get worried?" Her grip tightened with her building pleasure, movements getting frantic.

"I don't care," he told her gruffly, moving like an animal. "Let them worry. Let us take the day." And he moved, forcing her onto her knees and began to bang into her like a wild dog in heat, a fist into her hair, the other on her shoulder as he showed her what true power the Grand Duke could wield.

"Recreating the night we met?" She squeaked out, head bowed down as far as it could go. God, her hands would get stuck clutching the sheets.

It's hard to tell if he laughed, or if it was just a breath.
"We'd need more rain to drench us for that." And he moved, roughly flipping her so he could plow into hr missionary style, his mouth kissing all over her chest.

Swallowing, she let a gasp burst out of her and Medina bit her lip with a heated breath. Her hands moved into his hair and she clutched him to her chest. His name was a pant on her lips and her legs curled around his waist, "you're hungry aren't you?"

"Yes."
He panted and fucked and bucked.
"Very."

He turned her to her side now, lifting up a leg and hook it onto his shoulder, moving his sex into her from the side while reaching down and pressing a hand against her lower belly. And then further, and further his hot hand moved until all fingers gently pressed and subtly moved over her clit, as she feel and hear his breaths into her ear.

A hot pant and she moaned into the bed. Again she was moved and she pressed her face into a pillow and gave futile rocks of her hips. "Calent," she whined, eyes squeezed shut breath coming out in hot pants moving into his hand. Her arm moved to curl around his head and she arched her back. Her sex tightened around him as her breath hitched. "Stranger, please," she begged, fingers clutching into his hair.

"Stranger, please."
The words had a rippling effect, as he moved warm, powerful arms around her, pulling her close and kissing hotly at her ear then cheek, and lower still as he moaned into her throat.

"You feel like an angel," he whispered, his body moving into hers evenly, hungrily. Lips and teeth trailed down her shoulder, biting and growling and sucking at her skin.

Was he so insatiable? Medina could barely get a whole breath in before a thrust forward would make her hiccup on the air. Fingers found a wrist and she clung to it tightly. Grip hard as she rocked her hips eagerly. "You feel like a devil," she retorted, casting him a sleepy eyed look. Her belly was tight with her plesure and she moved with him needily, wanting him to hold him to her. Medina arched her back with a hot gasp and came hard, a little noise squeaking out of her.

"Calent," she whined, fingers pulling his hair, face red. "I don't think I can do this all day," she panted out with a breathy laugh

Lucky for her, when she came, his pace increased wildly and soon he was screaming out his own pleasure against her skin. His hot seed flooded her, and then some before he collapsed his face against hers, breathing hot and heavy.

At her words, he genuinely smiled, and peered up at her throw sweaty locks of hair.

"Even if I command it so?"

The chill if the morning air from the window sent a shiver over her sweaty skin and she smiled at his smile. Her fingers moved to his hair, brushing it from his face and resting her hand to his cheek. "I don't think you could command me," Medina whispered, thumb brushing under his eye, over the scars.

"Maybe you could convince me though," her voice was husky and she moved her hands up to stretch them above her head. Medina's body still trembled from pleasure and she took a deep breath in. "I can see where Hope gets his good looks when you smile," she said softly, finger trailing over his jaw.

He smiled again, a dusty blush set against his cheeks.
"Am I smiling?" It felt odd. He supposed he was. "Perhaps Hope is what I looked like when I was a child."

Medina gave a soft laugh, like if she made anything louder she'd get dragged away. Bright golden eyes were on his face and she pushed a hand through his hair. "If I say yes will you stop?" She traced her finger tip over his bottom lip and just smiled at him, eyes falling closed sleepily before she sighed and and traced her fingertips over his scarred cheek. "I'll lie to you forever about your ability to smile if you promise to do it for me sometimes," she teased, still catching her breath, chunks of her hair sticking to her face, "If anyone asks me 'Can Calent smile' I will say 'no! Absolutely not! Never!'"

She was talking to much, and his lips silenced her.

Medina was in the middle of about to saying something else and she was cut off with a 'hmph!' Though she pulled away and looked at him, eyes bright and her cheeks flushed with her own smile. "See? Not smiling," she pressed a hand to his cheek to guide him down for another kiss before she opened her eyes, "I could go for another nap," she whispered against his lips.

A hand cradled her face as he kissed her again, then again.
"Do you mean another round?" he asked, and she'd be able to feel his body growing needy again.

A smirk was on her face when he kissed her and Medina felt her eyes close. Though it quickly turned into a soft hiss and a new flush climbed onto her cheeks. A shift of her hips and legs to fix him between her thighs and her hands moved up and down his back. "For someone that grumbled about sleep you don't seem very eager to return to it," she whispered, opening her eyes to look up at him before she tried not to smile.

His lips devoured her's as he moved to pin her into the bed.
"Sleep is an indulgence... but so is sex." He moved without hesitation, slipping his sex right into her and moving his hips with a steady need.

As he slipped into her, Medina's hands pressed to his back and gave a lusty moan. She'd barely come down from their last coupling! "Sleep is," she rolled her hips into his thrusts, hands holding him to her and hooked a leg over his hips, "Sleep is nice and relaxing though," she whispered, pulling him in for kisses. Medina nibbled on his lip and closed her eyes, letting his movements guide her. They'd only just started but she gave little twitches and tremors with how hested she was, "you can have nice dreams while you're doing it."

"But I like to live my dreams," he spoke hotly, lips moving down to kiss and devour her chest. "By Ansgar's name you feel so good," he moaned, pressing his face against her chest and moving faster so that his balls noisily slapped against her each time he fucked her.

Live his dreams?

Medina was a little startled, mouth open to speak but it was cut off by the surprised moan and her head throwing back. It was a fast hard orgasm and she curled her legs and arms around him while she bucked againar him greedily. His name was a chat against his hair and her arms were curled around his shoulders. "You don't feel so bad yourself," she breathed out, shivering and trembling. Fingers carding through his sweaty hair.

"Is the dream having sex all day?" She teased, "because I really will need to take a nap. And snacks. I'm pregnant, remember?"

He smiled and kissed her forehead, even laughing through his closed lipped smile so she'd feel it through the hot breath from his nose. But he hugged her anyway and closed his eyes.

"It's enjoying anything all day,"he told her simply, sleepily.

Medina grinned and rubbed her hands up and down Calent's back. This man was almost a stranger. Some of the mask torn away and she could see the man he could have been beneath. The man that Medina felt her heart thump for.

"I think I'm falling for you," she whispered against him, voice soft.

He didn't look at her, even when he had finally caught his breath. But he was still flushed.
"You speak dangerous words," he told her, quietly, honestly.

Medina knew.

She nodded and tried to smile at him. "Only dangerous if anyone but you knows," she whispered, reaching a hand to cup his cheek and card her fingers through his hair. "I don't plan on anyone finding out."

He looked into her eyes, really looked into them.
"Wouldn't I be the most dangerous to know?"

A little tilt of her head and she moved her hand to gently trace over his features. Her thumb moving along his jaw before Medina shifted and gave a content little sigh. "Of course not. I didn't tell you to hear anything in return. Im drawn to you. I want kiss your hurts and hear your laughs. Bear your children,"  she teased, "you're the perfect person i should let know. Youre one of the two that potentially benefit from it."

"Yes, but I'm also the one man who could end it all," he told her seriously, his own hand moving to cup her face. Her studied her. Her features were common, except the gold of her eyes. They were a reminder of what she was not.

"Being with me, open or not, is dangerous."

Medina closed her eyes and gave a sleepy content sigh.

"I'm not asking for anything," she said, giving him a small hesitsnt smile. "I'm not asking for you to... to keep me. Or return my feelings. I just figured that while we're both completely naked and you're still inside me that perhaps you could use a little honesty." Medina pressed up into him for a kiss, "I'm not concerned with anything ten feet away from here. I can worry about that later, because I know nothing i do now is going to change it."

It was strange to hear it. They were both living in the moment and at any second he knew whatever this was could be snuffed out. Perhaps she was right. Living now, just right here, with him, was perhaps a paradise in it's own right.

A warm hand smoothed up one side of her body as he kissed at her cheek, then neck before he let himself sigh into the bed. Heheld her close, his heart beat still hammering inside his ears as he sighed and kissed at her hair, gently stroking it and enjoying the simply quiet moment the pair was spared.

Medina just watched, letting the silence linger.

It wasnt uncomfortable. It was warm and she turned her head just a moment too late to cwtch his lips in a kiss. Still, that hardly mattered. Snuggling into the bed with him, she shifted to her side and tossed a leg over his hips.

A sigh and she snuggled into the bed, eyes closed. "Rest with me," she whispered, indicating for him to sleep with his head to her breast and him in her arms, "we can wake and make love again. Just a sweet quiet day. Fo you. For us."

Rest would not come easily. For any semblance of sleep was robbed of him- but this time with dreams of another kind and he woke up sticky with sweat, not from their sex, but from whatever terror had plagued him and caused him to sit up so suddenly in the night.

He turned to her suddenly, a frantic look on is face, before he tossed the covers off his naked body and began to move with a purpose across the room.

The dream..
the terrible dream....
He had to go make sure his son was still alive-
The images far too real to disbelieve.

It was a shock, having someone quickly and with purpose get up and leave your bed. Medina had been awake, watching the enigma of a man sleep beside her. Watched his features contort before his sudden movement. Quickly, she followed, dragging the blankets from the bed to cover her own naked body.

"Calent!" Was he sleep walking? She rushed, moving a little faster so she could cut him off at the door, her hand moving to his chest to press against it while she stood between him and leaving the bedroom. "Do I repulse you so? What's going on?"

When Medina was finally at his side did he pause, blinking as he felt himself pull back into reality- from his dream, from that nightmare before he turned suddenly to look at her.

Then he sighed, a hand pressed against the unopened door before he pressed his forehead against it and closed his eyes.

"It was just a dream..."

A dream...
When was the last time he could enjoy such a thing?

"A dream?"

Now that he wasn't moving to pull the door open as violently as it looked, Medina leaned over to look at him, concern in her golden eyes. "Stranger?" Her hand moved up his back before she moved the blanket and pressed it against his back on the off chance that maybe he would become chilled.

"What did you dream about? It seems it wasn't a very good one."

His eyes remained distant in thought,  but the shimmering remains of his fears were still there.

"Hope..." he began, voice croaky and soft. "I'd like to see him."
Just in case it wasnt a dream. 

Medina blinked a few times before she nodded her head a few times.

"Of course." Her hand rested on his shoulder before she gave him an up and down glance, "you should get dressed." Though, she wasn't entirely sure where the maid had taken her son. Likely to her own assigned room where his crib was. Medina moved back to her clothing, leaving the blanket trailing behind her before trying to toss it back onto the bed and getting into her clothing.

"Will you be okay?" Medina asked softly, pulling on her clothing before watching the father of her child. Her little Hope.

He was standing, poised at the question- eyes ever distance before he wrapped the blanket around himself. Had he nodded, it was subtle, and he opened the door to beckon a maid.

"Bring the child," he told her, his voice barely over a whisper. The exchange was quiet as the maid bowed to leave. Calent closed the door with a soft click before standing, eyes on the door handle, but looking well past.

His dream had been too real. And he could still feel the sweat on his skin from it.

Madina curled into herself when he didn't reply to her, the nod so subtle it just looked like a tremble. Maybe someday, she would be worth words, but did she want to stay so long to gain that worth? Could she handle it? While she stayed at Calent's side while the maid rushed off to get the baby Medina remained silent, thoughts tumbling and drifting.

A glance at the window and a spark of a futile idea was interrupted by a knock on the door and the handle moving. The maid had brought Hope's personal watcher - a woman Medina had grown close to and seemingly loved Hope like her own. Without really thinking, Medina moved forward arms open for her child.

A soothing balm for frayed nerves and prickly tempers. Hope took the transfer gracefully, eyes wide and looking up at his mother. His little feet kicked beneath the clothing he was wearing. "Hello my love," she whispered, pressing a kiss to her baby's forehead before turning and holding him in such a way that he would easily be taken, be turning to Calent.

"He seems to be in a good mood this day" she commented, feeling a twinge of regret that she hadn't been the one to wake up with him.

His eyes never once left his child's and when Hope was offered to him, he scooped him up in his arms and began to gently, soothingly speak to him. If she was ever looking for a rare moment, this was it, as the man, so far gone within himself, into the war, that these smiles he showed so genuine and true were almost a mirage.

He leaned down to kiss his son upon the forehead, gently rocking him and humming a song.

There would never be a time where she believed that he'd loved her, or had been infatuated or even cared about her. Medina was a realist. She knew where she was and what was going on was an extremely risky venture. She knew that the chance of her surviving this - a mage in the grand duke's bedroom - and if that information was ever found out, she would be drawn and quartered.

Seeing Calent with Hope though let her mind wander for a moment and she daydreamed that maybe, in another lifetime this would be normal. A man and his son and... Her, she supposed. Medina was never in her day dreams. She just imagined her son being a fat happy baby with his father smiling at him.

She remained silent, simply watching and taking in the sweet moment before her, knowing that she'd replay it in her head until Hope was an adult and had kids of his own. Maybe if she didn't try to insert herself in the moment Calent was having with his child, he wouldn't recoil so. Clearly, he wasn't so stone hearted and he made people believe.

There was a long moment of silence that hung once the song was over. It went on a long moment more before Calent 's voice rumbled softly.

"There's no greater fear than the loss of a child." It was true, sentimental, but also real.  Hope was his future, even if he couldn't announce their connection of blood.

"I didn't think the nightmares would come for him."

Calent's eyes remained on his child but his mind had gone elsewhere. And although Medina was the only other within the room, it was hard to tell if he spoke to her.

There wasn't. Medina could sympathize.

Slowly and with some hesitation, she reached forward and pressed a warm hand to Calent's shoulder, moving in closer to peer at Hope from beside him.

"I don't know if this is any comfort for nightmares," she whispered, golden eyes determined, "but I'm sure many would protect this child with their lives." Medina thought for a moment about how much she kept secret from this man beside her, tenderly cradling a child. How many things she kept hidden.

Thankfully being in a building full of mordecai helped her keep her secret but sometimes but she knew that someday kissing away injuries might catch up with her. "At the very least, I will die for him and..." Medina trailed off and sighed, curling in slightly, not wanting to fully accept that she was to gift the world with another bastard child. What a turn her life had made. What she wouldn't do to return to the clinic with her children and live a normal simple life as a healer.

He remained quiet as he doted over his child, cooing softly, subtly before letting the child fuss over the ends of his hair.  When he pulled a bit too roughly, he freed his hair and held Hope closer to his chest. The babe still reached for his hair.

"I believe he will be someone all of Connlaoth will come to protect..  to respect. "

Medina didn't mean to scoff at the idea but she watched Calent be prehaps the most tender she'd ever seen him. Would they respect Hope if his parentage ever came to light? Would she be put to death before that could happen? "You believe that will happen, but what are you hoping for?" Medina questioned, pushing her hair back over her shoulder and sloppily braiding it, "What do you want for our Hope?"

Calent considered her words.
"To raise him right and to bring this land to where it needs to be."
His eyes never left the child. Hope. The child was exactly that. At least within his own eyes, perhaps his own selfish justification after the Grand Duke had already been through and lost so much to right the wrongs of his world.

Bring the land where it needs to be.

Medina echo'd the words in her head before she placed her hand on her child's back. "That's a heavy burden for a baby," she said softly, feeling his little body breathe while he tried to gather as much of his father's hair into his fist as possible to shove into his mouth.

"What does a child risen right look like? What does he do?" Medina moved closer to look over Hope's head to Calents face. "What kind of person is he?"

Calent'd eyes looked distantly through the child but yet still at him as her question stirred within him.
"This." He said softly, simply.  "And all of it." He lowered his head and moved with the child closer towards the window as he peered through it,  through the curtains to outside. The subtle breeze felt nice.

"Hope will be what he was meant to be."

Be what he was meant to be.

Medina rose a skeptical eyebrow, the corner of her mouth pulling to the side in mild amusement. The sound of wishes from a father to a son. Soft golden eyes watched Calent hold Hope by the window, taking the imagine and seeing it doe later. For when someday, this would be a distant life.

Feeling bold, she walked slowly up behind Calent, curling an arm around his back and resting her cheek on his shoulder when she stood beside him. She reached and stoked Hope's cheek with the back of a finger, before turning her head and pressing a kiss to the shoulder beside her.

"We made a cute baby," she commented idly, not fully enjoying the talk of such a heavy future weight on her child, "do you think he'll be handsome?"

Calent closed his eyes at her affections.  For a brief moment, their world seemed lulled, peaceful, almost.. perfect. But then his eyes opened and reality returned with it, and all of its ugly shades of colors and the grey.

But there was only one answer to her question.

"Yes."